The present invention relates to saw horses to support walking planks for use in the construction/DIY industries and more particularly to a collapsible metal horse which can be locked in the open position to provide a safe and stable platform support.
The building and construction industries have used traditionally, all manner of scaffolding and framing to support workers and give them access to awkward or dangerous locations on buildings etc. Generally such supports provide an elevated walking surface over which workers can move safely and which can support not only the worker but tools, materials and equipment being used on the site. In the process of building, painting, plastering etc, as sections of the project are completed, the scaffold walkways often are moved to give access to a new section of the site. Traditional metal scaffolding requires assembly and careful placement which is a costly process that is not cost effective in many construction jobs such as home building. Home builders rely generally upon easel support frames to hold their walking planks because easels are simple to deploy and can be set up to give access to an entire wall of a house in just a few minutes. Such devices are however, inherently unstable, because they are prone to collapse if they are suddenly loaded or moved in a direction perpendicular to their angle of placement. These easels form an xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d shape and have a chain connecting the cross braces of each leg. Chains are secure only when they are loaded under tension such as when the legs of the xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d are apart. It is while these legs are apart that the walking plank is positioned atop the cross braces of each leg and across to another easel spaced within reach of the walking plank. It is not uncommon in the rush to deploy these easels and planks, for workers to slide the planks in position only to tip the easel and cause it to collapse.
This is inconvenient and unsafe.
The present invention provides a simple, effective and inexpensive solution to these and other such problems inherent in prior art easels. The present invention not only solves the problem of collapsing easels, but provides a range of sizes/heights which are simply and safely deployable from the lowest easel to the highest.
It is a primary object of the invention to provide an easel which can be locked in the open position.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a stabilizing arm positioned between the cross braces of each leg of the easel and fixed by female links welded to each cross brace
It is a further object of the invention to make the stabilizing arm securable in both the deployed and undeployed position using the female links.
It is a further object of the invention to shape the arm with a hooked and kinked end to act as a friction lock against the edges of the female link.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a chain attached by female links to each cross brace.
It is a further object of the invention to provide easels of various heights each with a stabilizing arm and chain.
It is a further object of the invention to provide easels which rapidly and safely can be deployed.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an easel which is rust-proof and galvanized.
It is a further object of the invention to provide non-skid rubber feet to protect flooring.